St Peters Pre-School, in Mountsorrel, says it has been told by the council they have until the end of the summer term in the village's memorial centre, because the council are losing money having the group in the centre.

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About three years ago, the pre-school was temporarily moved to the village's cricket pavilion while the centre was rebuilt. The pre-school claims it was involved in plans for the new centre, advising on what they would like and only moved into the pavilion temporarily.

As part of discussions, the parish council has offered the pre-school the use of the cricket pavilion again, however, Mr and Mrs Bird do not think it is suitable as a permanent home.

Mr Bird added: "It was our life-raft, the only life-raft we had, so we had to make do with it, but it's not right for us permanently."

The couple claim this is due to heating and boiler issues, the cleanliness and maintenance of the site, and a lack of lighting and proper pathway.

The parish council says the pavilion heating is working and there are plans during 2018/19 to replace the boiler.

The pre-school had only been back in the memorial centre for seven weeks when the owners were being asked to leave.

Mr Bird said: "We are flabbergasted, it beggars belief. We cannot think why they would do this so soon after we got back in."

A letter seen by the Mercury from the parish council to Mr Bird, dated March 13, asks him to make a decision on whether the pre-school would like to use the pavilion. It says if that offer is not accepted then the council will need to issue "the relevant notice to vacate the premises".

A hand of baby drawing on the white paper with colorful crayons.

The letter adds that the council is not asking the pre-school to vacate the premises immediately, but it is anticipated that by the end of the summer term the pre-school will either be in the pavilion or have "made alternative arrangements".

A spokesman for the parish council confirmed a meeting was held on February 23. She said: "The council has not issued any eviction notice. It is still waiting for a formal response to its offer of alternative accommodation.

"Following last night's (Monday) council meeting where this subject was raised by local residents, the matters raised are due to be discussed by the council's Memorial Centre Committee next week."

From this month, Mountsorrel Parish Council's precept on council tax bills increased by 162 per cent.

The 2018/19 bills see band D properties paying £199.85 a year towards the parish council in 2018/19, compared with the £75 they were charged in 2017/18.

Mum Liz Noller, whose daughter Betty, two, is at the pre-school, says this has changed her view on the council tax bill.

She said: "Before, I just thought I can live with it and look at it reasonably and say there is a reason for it.

"But now, knowing about this, it is an annoyance. The centre is supposed to be for the community, and I did think that paying the council tax goes towards those benefits, this has changed my view.

"A lot of the people who were the sane voice on the council tax, saying 'it's one of those things', are now thinking differently, saying the community centre is not for the community."

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On the precept increase, a spokesman for the parish council said previously: “The onset of the Localism Act and the devolution of services to parish councils, as well as the impact of the austerity measures on both the county and district councils, are already resulting in changes to our community, including ways in which some services are to be delivered in the future.

“These austerity measures have resulted in local parish councils being requested to assume responsibility for more and more local services, for example, the library, public toilets and youth services.”

The pre-school, along with parents of children who attend, is calling for the council to reconsider its decision and withdraw its request for the pre-school to vacate the premises, and issue a new tenancy agreement.